Completion of Newbury’s Parkway scheme will provide the opportunity to carry out some long-awaited traffic aspirations for the town.

Parkway is scheduled for completion in Spring next year. We (WBC) want to be ready to put the improvements in place when that happens, so the following proposals are going before the Council’s Executive on 18 February. The aim is to further enhance Newbury’s unique town centre to the benefit of shoppers, visitors and businesses alike.

First, there has been a strong public wish to see buses removed from the pedestrianised areas of town. With new bus stops created in Park Way, and walkways through to Northbrook Street, we will at last be able to do that. This will create a virtually traffic-free environment during the day, in line with many other towns.  
(Access only for emergency vehicles, bullion vans, and postal services.)

Buses would use Park Way instead, and Park Way bridge would become two-way, controlled by traffic signals. Taxis, buses, and cyclists would be able to use the bridge in both directions.  At present they can only go southbound across it.
(Advance cycle stop lines will help cyclists crossing the bridge)

New facilities for taxis and their customers would see the creation of three new taxi ranks to replace the existing one, with 17 extra taxi spaces.  The current twelve spaces in the non-public ‘feeder’ rank in Wharf Street would be converted into a public rank to replace the 4-space one in Market Place. Taxis would be able to turn there instead of  going through Market Place. There is already a new 5-space rank in Market Street, and there would be another 4-space one created in Park Way.

To help maintain traffic flows, the pedestrianisation zone end time would change from 6pm to 5pm  Pedestrianisation begins at 10am which leaves the zone open for morning commuters.  There is a firm belief that the proposed time move could help evening commuters in a similar way.

In addition, the Executive will be asked to approve ‘no loading’ in Wharf Street outside the museum, to avoid congestion there and encourage deliveries to Market Place outside pedestrian times. They will also be asked to agree to keeping traffic arrangements at West Street as they are, with the Broadway not being included in the pedestrian zone.

Quoted from Administrator

(Access only for emergency vehicles, bullion vans, and postal services.)

Oooh goody..... Bullion vans!

Not sure about bringing forward the time when cars can go through the area from 6pm to 5pm.  If the whole 'Pedestrian Zone' thing is such a great idea to ensure safety of those pedestrians... Why allow cars to travel through it at the times when there's probably the most amout of pedestrian movement during the week?

Quoted from spartacus

Not sure about bringing forward the time when cars can go through the area from 6pm to 5pm.  If the whole 'Pedestrian Zone' thing is such a great idea to ensure safety of those pedestrians... Why allow cars to travel through it at the times when there's probably the most amout of pedestrian movement during the week?

I've always thought the highstreet to be quiet at that time of day.  Shops start the wind down around 17:00 anyway.  Who else has been caught by the doorman standing guard at WH Smith at 17:25, preventing access!  

Seems like a vaguely sensible scheme - but they will still need to sort out the Wharf Road / Bear Lane junction. At least there will be a way to escape from the Wharf by going north across the bridge when the normal gridlock occurs.  Mind you the taxis and buses stuck in the jam won't be too happy.

Quoted from blackdog

Seems like a vaguely sensible scheme - but they will still need to sort out the Wharf Road / Bear Lane junction. At least there will be a way to escape from the Wharf by going north across the bridge when the normal gridlock occurs.  Mind you the taxis and buses stuck in the jam won't be too happy.

I read it as only taxis and buses could go North even when two way. How they will get through a blocked southbound bridge one can only guess.

I doubt very much it will get blocked, once general traffic is removed.

Quoted from brian

I read it as only taxis and buses could go North even when two way. How they will get through a blocked southbound bridge one can only guess.

According to Newbury Sound general traffic will not be able to use the bridge at all.

Quoted from brian

I read it as only taxis and buses could go North even when two way. How they will get through a blocked southbound bridge one can only guess.

Good point - wishful thinking on my part.  

Quoted from Greenham Common

I doubt very much it will get blocked, once general traffic is removed.

What general traffic is being removed? The proposal adds buses and taxis to the traffic that is already there. There will be some effect of having a large car park in Park Way - but somehow I doubt that it will reduce traffic in Wharf Road.

Quoted from blackdog

What general traffic is being removed? The proposal adds buses and taxis to the traffic that is already there. There will be some effect of having a large car park in Park Way - but somehow I doubt that it will reduce traffic in Wharf Road.

I think the text in article is misleading. I understand that the general public will not have right of way over the bridge - at least during the day, if not totally.  It is during the day when traffic is at its worst and you get the gridlock at Bear lane.

The original information from WBC does not make it clear.

Joe public will not be able to use the bridge at all unless he/she is a pedestrian or a cyclist.

The bridge will be restricted to buses, taxis, and post vans at all times.

The intention is I believe that there will be no buses at all in Northbrook Street even outside the pedestianised hours.

Also the taxi rank in the Market Place will cease to exist. The taxi rank will be moved to the Wharf, which apparently at the moment is a "feeder lane" and not a taxi rank.

This will alleviate the accidents on the rising bollards, because they will only need to operate for emergency vehicles during the hours of pedestrianisation.

Once a bus route is established you don't want to be flicking from ParkWay to Northbrook Street depending on what time of the day it is.... you'll confuse all the old dears on where they should be waiting........

As for Wharf Road leading onto Bear Lane being busy, the only traffic this will get will be vehicles coming out of the car parks and any buses/taxis that may be coming over the bridge. So that should reduce the number of vehicles on the road even during the busy periods.

And the Wharf taxi stacking area is only MEANT to be used for that.... Stacking/waiting for taxis. They are not permitted to pick up customers from there. That would be unfair on those taxis that get called through to the 'front of queue' on the Market Place rank.

Quoted from spartacus

As for Wharf Road leading onto Bear Lane being busy, the only traffic this will get will be vehicles coming out of the car parks and any buses/taxis that may be coming over the bridge. So that should reduce the number of vehicles on the road even during the busy periods.

WBC traffic management at its best. Too many jams - close the road. No jams. Simples.

Quoted from spartacus

And the Wharf taxi stacking area is only MEANT to be used for that.... Stacking/waiting for taxis. They are not permitted to pick up customers from there. That would be unfair on those taxis that get called through to the 'front of queue' on the Market Place rank.

There won't be a taxi rank in the Market Place during the hours of pedestrianisation. The taxi rank will be in the Wharf. The taxi facility in the Wharf will be rearranged to enable the taxis to turn round and go back out again without leaving through the Wharf Street bollards and the Market Place.

ANPR will be used to fine drivers who drive illegally over the bridge.

So how will Taxis be able to drop off or pick the elderly, the slightly infirm, the disabled etc at their Banks, or at the Corn Exchange, or at one of the cafes in the market place during the day? Are we going to have old folk staggering about on zimmer frames in all weathers trying to remember where the taxi rank now is? Or was that part of the plan when the travel tokens were taken away, you know, keep them indoors etc..

Threep.

Quoted from BrianB

There won't be a taxi rank in the Market Place during the hours of pedestrianisation. The taxi rank will be in the Wharf. The taxi facility in the Wharf will be rearranged to enable the taxis to turn round and go back out again without leaving through the Wharf Street bollards and the Market Place.

Didn't make it clear but I was trying to clarify the CURRENT position on the taxi feeder rank on Wharf St.  Taxi drivers are not permitted to collect fares from there.  However, they often get people staggering from the kebab vans and into the back seat and then have no end of trouble getting them out and trying to tell them they have to stagger back into the Market Place if they want a taxi..........

This change will resolve that situation.....